While much of Michigan struggles in a failing economy and faltering job market, it seems as if a crystal bubble protects Ann Arbor, population 113,934. To believe that, however, would be an insult to the city’s people. Everyone in this clean, … [Read more...]

At 6 a.m., my consciousness is somewhere between REM sleep and reality. The click, click, click sounds in my dream are getting louder, while blended smells of coffee and baked goods seep into the storyline. My senses begin to align, and I … [Read more...]

Americans tend to have a fondness for small towns, idyllic places where life is simpler, easier and friendlier. The reality is that such picturesque small towns have largely disappeared in recent decades, their unique identities dissolved by urban … [Read more...]

My heartbeat raced a million miles a minute, and sweat covered my face from the 108-degree Thailand sun beating down on my freckled skin. The anxiety overwhelmed me as the exact moment I anticipated in my mind so many times began to play out in … [Read more...]